This invention relates to a raised false floor set up in computer and control rooms, and particularly to a combined floor pedestal and floor out assembly for supporting floor rails which in turn hold floor panels.
Pedestal assemblies for supporting a raised false floor exist various forms in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,610 discloses a pedestal assembly which includes a height-adjustable, telescopic shaft of two sections with an enlarged base and a top bearing plate with a clamping means to support and clamp floor panels. Such a pedestal assembly is found to be disadvantageous since the telescopic shaft, which is slim and threaded, and the bearing top plate are susceptible to damage when subjected to heavy loads, especially when the base floor below is uneven. Furthermore, it is inconvenient to adjust the height of the pedestals after the panels are installed thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 572,836 to Sorsoleil and U.S. Pat. No. 651,511 disclose height-adjustable telescopic pipe constructions to be placed under ground surface for supplying water and gas. These constructions can be adjusted in height to be flush with the ground surface, and are designed to be used as connectors rather than as supports which must usually be adjusted in height after supported elements are mounted thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,933 discloses a pedestal assembly, as shown in FIG. 1, in which a nut is employed to adjust the height of a threaded rod which is inserted slideably in a lower tubular support with a bottom flange. The threaded rod is also provided with a top bearing plate. Such a construction is also weak.
Floor outlets for a raised floor are also known in the arts. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,767,323, 2,996,566 and 3,794,956 disclose floor outlet devices by means of which an apparatus, such as a computor, telephone, telegrpaph instrument, light, etc., may be readily connected with electric conductors disposed under a floor. Such floor outlets generally include a hollow cylindrical support body, and a plug body inserted in the support body in a telescopic manner and having an electric outlet means mounted thereon.
An object of the invention is to provide a combined floor pedestal and floor outlet which has a strong pedestal and a strong bearing face for supporting floor rail and by which additional requirements for installing floor outlets can be eliminated.
Another object of the invention is to provide a combined floor pedestal and floor outlet assembly which is convenient for height adjustment even after floor rails are mounted on the assembly, and which has a height adjustment member capable of changing the height of the pedestal upon slight turning of the adjustment member.